Michael Alan George Minuti couldn’t wait to be the first baby of 2017 born at the Royal Preston Hospital.

He arrived two days early, at 10.52am yesterday, to the delight of parents Sally White and Alex Minuti from Clayton-le-Woods.

Michael weighed in at 6lb 3.5oz and Alex said: “He’s wonderful and they are both doing fine.

“He was due Tuesday but it is great to think he was the first to be born at RPH in 2017. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the new year - and our upcoming anniversary. Sally and I got together on January 29 last year.”